Wednesday, October 5, 2011

CNN, Facebook, Cartoon Network and Time Inc. have teamed up for a special multi-platform effort aimed at taking a stand to help stop the bullying crisis. Anderson Cooper 360° will air a week-long series focused on bullying in addition to a town hall hosted at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, marking the one year anniversary of Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi.’s death.Anderson Cooper will reveal the results of a six-month long pilot study that provide new insight about why kids bully each other and how parents and educators can more effectively stop the problem. In partnership with University of California sociologist Dr. Robert Faris, this groundbreaking investigation involving over 700 junior and high school students will explore the complex social dynamic of bullying, and how certain students hold the key to stopping the problem.“Too many kids have died already; too many kids are living in fear. At AC360 we decided to look into the problem by sponsoring an extensive study of bullying in one school to better understand the dynamics “said Cooper “what we learned by focusing on one school was eye opening. The problem of bullying is far more complex than it is often portrayed, and while there are no easy solutions, we’ve learned some things that lead me to believe that with enough attention, we can make life better for kids”Bullying: It Stops here, An Anderson Cooper Special Report will feature guests including actor and bullying prevention activist Jane Lynch , psychologist and talk-show host Dr. Phil McGraw; who has testified before Congress about bullying prevention, talk show host and mother of three Kelly Ripa, and Rosalind Wiseman; best-selling author “Queen Bees and Wannabees”. Along with a special audience of students, parents, educators and policy makers, Cooper and guests will question whether new legislation, laws and significant media attention has helped the bullying prevention efforts. The town hall, titled Bullying: It Stops Here will premiere Sunday, October 9 at 8pm ET and will re-air on October 14 at 8 and 10 pm ET.Beginning October 10, Anderson Cooper 360° will air a week-long series which will move the conversation forward with solution oriented, original research that will help families and educators to better understand this serious problem impacting children. Cooper sheds new light into the world of bullies, uncovering counter intuitive information about what motivates kids’ aggression that might surprise viewers. Cooper will uncover some universal truths about bullying in schools across the country by speaking with UC sociologist Faris and bullying expert Rachel Simmons, best-selling author of “Odd girl Out”. Anderson Cooper 360° airs weeknights at 8 and 10pm ET on CNN.Earlier this month, Facebook and Time Warner Inc. announced the launch of the Stop Bullying: Speak Up Social Pledge App, an interactive social media pledge that enables educators, parents and students to make a personal commitment—and recruit others to join them—to help stop bullying.

3 comments:

Anonymous
said...

A parent commented on ATA that the "teacher" was bullying her child and the rest of his classmates and this had been going on for at least a decade.Ultimately she blamed the teachers' union for protecting the teacher.I suggest this parent realize that most abuse is from the parent and not the "teacher."Teachers are responsible for just about everything imaginable now, and child behavior should not be one of them.Behavior and attitude should be one thing a child learns at home.Good role models are parents and if chilren misbehave, let's start with their home life.If a teacher corrects a child's behavior it is not bullying.And for this parent to believe an eleven year old over an adult is a problem in and of itself.I suggest reading "A Child Called It," about parental abuse and neglect.It may very well open their eyes to a new and improved level of parenting.

My name is Laura Greco and I am 17 years old. I am a victim of bullying.

I've been a victim of bullying ever since I started elementary school. But recently, I've been bullied out of two DIFFERENT high schools; Edwardsville High School and Lahr-Well Acadamy, both in Edwardsville Illinois. I have to spend my senior year trying to figure out where to go; how to get my education, my diploma... all because I've been subjected to bullying by not only students, but staff and adults as well in the schools.

I can't go into detail as to what's been happening to me ever since elementary school; that'd take forever. Please understand I'm NOT trying to sound dramatic or earn some sort pity, but the ONLY type of bullying I HAVEN'T experienced is being sexually abused; harrassed, yes, but thankfully never abused.

I'm being robbed of my junior and now my senior prom and other school activities. I'm being robbed of a good education, of friends, of ANY sort of social enviornment. I promise you I am not exaggerating the fact that I have almost NO real friends left; and that I feel very unimportant to them.

Again, I don't mean to be dramatic, but stories like mine that have gone unheard, that still aren't complete, need to be heard and the NEED for them to be heard needs to stop.

Please, everyone, DON'T let this happen to others. Everything that's happend to me could have been avoided if someone had just SAID something. Please... don't let this happen... Don't let this happen to people like me... I can't HELP that I'm bi-polar, that I have a panic disorder, and that I cry... In God's eyes, we're all the same. NEVER forget that. I have felt suicidel for the longest time and I, like many others, cannot TAKE this anymore! Don't be a murderer with your words and actions... Have courage, for yours', and others' sake.

Yes, Bullying Stops, Here.No more Bullying for Anderson Cooper.It was a ratings failure of great proportions, so on to more salacious topics, like those on the dayshow.How about "Black Market Babies That Are Bullied?"Now there's a topic to well, digest.